Interview: How Mental Illness & Sex Inspired Neon Trees’ New Album

After the release of Neon Trees‘ last album, Tyler Glenn realized he was in desperate need of a break and probably had been for a while.

Since 2009, when Neon Trees released their debut single “Animal,” the band—and more specifically that song—have been nearly impossible to avoid. At its height, “Animal” was not only being played nearly every hour on both alternative and Top 40 radio, but was all over the TV with synchs in Chevy and Vegas commercials. The Top 15 hit would go on to be covered by Gleeand Taylor Swift — and was even translated into Simlish for The Sims 3.

Two years later, the band returned to the charts with “Everybody Talks,”off 2012’s Picture Show. It, too, did well on the charts (No. 6 on the Hot 100), and earned more Gleelove. They did another commercial, this time for Buick Verano, which not only featured “Everybody Talks” but the band itself.